1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to the field of tissue removal and tissue grafting. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus and method for the percutaneous cutting and removal of selected portions of tissue from a patient and the possible harvesting and implantation of the tissue portion in the donor.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are various known methods and apparatus for the cutting and removal of tissue fragments from a human. Each of these, however, suffers from one or more deficiencies.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,832,683 shows an instrument for ultrasonic cutting of bones, with irrigation or suction. However, there is no suction while cutting, no removal of the cut bone or tissue, and no flexibility in the instrument.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,265,231 shows apparatus for drilling a curved hole having a flexible shaft confined in a rigid tubular sheath, but which shows no removal of cut bone or tissue.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,541,423 shows apparatus for drilling a curved hole having a flexible shaft confined in a semi-rigid tubular sheath, but which shows no removal of cut bone or tissue.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,589,414 shows a surgical cutting instrument with a reciprocatory cutting motion, but which has no removal of cut bone or tissue, and no flexibility in the instrument.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,603,694 shows a rotating arthroscopic shaver with suction, but which is not flexible and which has no removal of cut bone or tissue.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,751,922 shows a flexible medullary reamer with a plastic shaft and a guide rod, but which has no suction and no removal of the cut bone or tissue.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,798,213,4,649,918, and 4,142,517 show various apparatus for bone coring.